Forming machine for forming a box

Abstract

A forming machine (2) for forming a box (60) from a blank (6) made of paper or cardboard, including a base (6a) and side panels (6a, 6b, 6c, 6d) connected to the base (6a), comprises: a working zone configured to receive the blank (6); a plurality of folders (21) positioned in the working zone and configured to interact with the side panels (6a, 6b, 6c, 6d) of the blank (6) to fold them and dispose them parallel to a vertical direction (V), with respective lateral borders juxtaposed to define vertical edges of the side wall of the box (60); a plurality of heads (22), including respective pressers (222) that are movable towards and away from each other, wherein each presser (222) is configured to press a respective vertical edge from the outside of the space inside the box (60).

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A forming machine for forming a box from a cardboard blank, the blank including a base, configured to define a base wall of the box and side panels, connected to the base and foldable to define a side wall of the box, wherein the forming machine comprises:
 a working zone, configured to receive the blank; 
 a plurality of folders positioned in the working zone and configured to interact with the side panels of the blank to fold them and dispose them parallel to a vertical direction, with respective lateral borders juxtaposed to define vertical edges of the side wall of the box, so that the side panels of the blank delimit an internal space inside the box; 
 a plurality of heads, movable towards and away from each other, wherein each head of the plurality of heads includes 
 
       a feeder, configured to place a piece of sealing tape so that it faces a respective vertical edge, a presser, configured to press the piece of sealing tape against the respective vertical edge from the outside of the internal space inside the box, 
       a cutter, configured to cut the sealing tape in order to isolate the piece from it, 
       wherein the forming machine further comprises a plurality of columns, extending along the vertical direction and movable along the vertical direction, where each column of the plurality of columns can be placed in the internal space inside the box at a position in front of a respective presser to abut against a respective vertical edge of the side wall of the box, the vertical edge being operatively interposed between the column itself and the presser, 
       wherein each column of the plurality of columns is associated with a respective head of the plurality of heads, 
       wherein each head of the plurality of heads is movable in a horizontal plane, perpendicular to the vertical direction, between a withdrawn position, where it does not interfere with the box positioned in the working zone, and an advanced position, where it operates on a respective vertical edge of the box, and 
       wherein each head of the plurality of heads is configured to move the column associated therewith in the horizontal plane. 
     
     
       2. The forming machine according to  claim 1 , wherein each head of the plurality of heads includes a vertically oriented guide, wherein each column of the plurality of columns is slidably coupled to the guide of the respective head. 
     
     
       3. The forming machine according to  claim 2 , wherein, for each head of the plurality of heads, the guide is positioned at a greater vertical height relative to the corresponding presser. 
     
     
       4. The forming machine according to  claim 3 , comprising a plate, movable vertically and located above the guides, wherein the columns of the plurality of columns are removably connectable to the plate so that the machine is operable in a working configuration in which the columns are connected to the plate to move vertically therewith and in a changeover configuration, in which the columns are disconnected from the plate and are movable horizontally as one with the heads. 
     
     
       5. The forming machine according to  claim 4 , wherein the plate includes a ferromagnetic material and wherein each column of the plurality of columns includes, at an upper end of it, a magnet configured to be magnetically coupled to the plate. 
     
     
       6. The forming machine according to  claim 5 , comprising an electric circuit including, for each column, an electrical winding that is traversable by an energizing current to generate a magnetic force able to oppose and cancel a magnetic force inherent in the respective magnet, the inherent magnetic force of the magnets being an attractive force between the magnets and the plate. 
     
     
       7. A forming machine for forming a box from a cardboard blank, the blank including a base, configured to define a base wall of the box and side panels, connected to the base and foldable to define a side wall of the box, wherein the forming machine comprises:
 a working zone, configured to receive the blank; 
 a plurality of folders positioned in the working zone and configured to interact with the side panels of the blank to fold them and dispose them parallel to a vertical direction, with respective lateral borders juxtaposed to define vertical edges of the side wall of the box, so that the side panels of the blank delimit an internal space inside the box; 
 a plurality of heads, movable towards and away from each other, wherein each head of the plurality of heads includes 
 
       a feeder, configured to place a piece of sealing tape so that it faces a respective vertical edge, a presser, configured to press the piece of sealing tape against the respective vertical edge from the outside of the internal space inside the box, 
       a cutter, configured to cut the sealing tape in order to isolate the piece from it, 
       wherein the forming machine further comprises a plurality of columns, extending along the vertical direction and movable along the vertical direction, where each column of the plurality of columns can be placed in the internal space inside the box at a position in front of a respective presser to abut against a respective vertical edge of the side wall of the box, the vertical edge being operatively interposed between the column itself and the presser, wherein each head of the plurality of heads includes a vertically oriented guide, to which a respective column of the plurality of columns is slidably coupled. 
     
     
       8. The forming machine according to  claim 7 , wherein, for each head of the plurality of heads, the corresponding guide is located at a predetermined distance from the respective cutter, relative to a horizontal direction of movement of the cutter, at an advanced position towards the corresponding guides of the other heads of the plurality of heads. 
     
     
       9. The forming machine according to  claim 8 , comprising, for each head of the plurality of heads, an adjustment device for varying the predetermined distance between the guide and the corresponding cutter. 
     
     
       10. A forming machine for forming a box from a paper or cardboard blank, including a base, configured to define a base wall of the box and side panels, connected to the base and foldable to define a side wall of the box, wherein the forming machine comprises:
 a working zone, configured to receive the blank; 
 a plurality of folders positioned in the working zone and configured to interact with the side panels of the blank to fold them and dispose them parallel to a vertical direction, with respective lateral borders juxtaposed to define vertical edges of the side wall of the box, so that the side panels of the blank delimit an internal space inside the box; 
 a plurality of heads, wherein each head of the plurality of heads includes a respective presser, configured to abut against a corresponding vertical edge from the outside of the space inside the box, 
 a plurality of columns, extending along the vertical direction and movable along the vertical direction, where each column of the plurality of columns can be placed in the internal space inside the box at a position in front of a respective presser to abut, inside the internal volume of the box, against a respective vertical edge which is operatively interposed between the column itself and the presser, wherein each column of the plurality of columns is associated with a respective head of the plurality of heads, 
 
       wherein each column of the plurality of columns is supported by said respective head of the plurality of heads. 
     
     
       11. A method for forming a box from a cardboard blank, including a base, configured to define a base wall of the box and side panels, connected to the base and foldable to define a side wall of the box, wherein the method comprises the following steps:
 positioning the blank in a working zone; 
 folding the side panels of the blank to dispose them parallel to a vertical direction, with respective lateral borders juxtaposed to define vertical edges of the side wall of the box, so that the side panels of the blank delimit an internal space inside the box; 
 sealing the vertical edges by means of a plurality of pressers, a corresponding plurality of cutters and a corresponding plurality of feeders, the step of sealing including, for each vertical edge, the following sub-steps: 
 
       feeding a piece of sealing tape so it faces the vertical edge, by means of a corresponding feeder of the plurality of feeders; 
       applying the piece of sealing tape to the vertical edge on the outside of the internal space of the box, by means of a presser of the plurality of pressers which is disposed on the outside of the internal space of the box and which moves towards the vertical edge; 
       cutting the sealing tape in order to isolate the piece, using a cutter of the plurality of cutters,
 providing a plurality of columns; 
 moving the columns in the vertical direction so that during the step of sealing, each vertical edge is interposed between a respective presser of the plurality of pressers and a respective column of the plurality of columns; 
 
       the method further comprising a step of changeover, including a step of moving the columns towards and away from each other in a horizontal plane perpendicular to the vertical direction, wherein, during the step of changeover, each column of the plurality of columns is moved in the horizontal plane by a respective head, on which a respective presser of the plurality of pressers is mounted. 
     
     
       12. A method for forming a box from a cardboard blank, including a base, configured to define a base wall of the box and side panels, connected to the base and foldable to define a side wall of the box, wherein the method comprises the following steps:
 positioning the blank in a working zone; 
 folding the side panels of the blank to dispose them parallel to a vertical direction, with respective lateral borders juxtaposed to define vertical edges of the side wall of the box, so that the side panels of the blank delimit an internal space inside the box; 
 sealing the vertical edges by means of a plurality of pressers, a corresponding plurality of cutters and a corresponding plurality of feeders, the step of sealing including, for each vertical edge, the following sub-steps: 
 
       feeding a piece of sealing tape so it faces the vertical edge, by means of a corresponding feeder of the plurality of feeders; 
       applying the piece of sealing tape to the vertical edge on the outside of the internal space of the box, by means of a presser of the plurality of pressers which is disposed on the outside of the internal space of the box and which moves towards the vertical edge; 
       cutting the sealing tape in order to isolate the piece, using a cutter of the plurality of cutters,
 providing a plurality of columns; 
 moving the columns in the vertical direction so that during the step of sealing, each vertical edge is interposed between a respective presser of the plurality of pressers and a respective column of the plurality of columns; 
 
       the method further comprising a step of changeover, including a step of moving the columns towards and away from each other in a horizontal plane perpendicular to the vertical direction, wherein the step of folding includes moving the blank along the vertical direction by means of the columns of the plurality of columns, which abut against the base of the blank and move along the vertical direction, pushing the blank along the vertical direction with them, and wherein, during the movement of the blank, the side panels interact with a plurality of folders positioned in the working zone on the outer side relative the plurality of columns, and 
       wherein, during the step of folding, the columns of the plurality of columns are integral with a plate and move along the vertical direction by effect of the lifting and/or lowering of the plate while the plate inhibits movement of the columns of the plurality of columns in the horizontal plane and wherein, during the step of size changeover, the columns of the plurality of columns are detached from the plate and move in the horizontal plane.